AMD Adrenalin 26.5.2 Drivers | Is something BIG coming?

Summary

In this video, Fabio from Ancient Gameplays reviews AMD’s new Adrenalin 26.5.2 drivers, highlighting both official fixes and hidden changes discovered through testing. He discusses improved support for upcoming games, updates on FSR4 compatibility for older Radeon GPUs, and fixes for issues affecting titles like Roadcraft and Satisfactory. Fabio also covers ongoing known issues with games such as Battlefield 6, Marvel Rivals, and Blender. A major focus is the unexpected clock speed and power draw changes on the RX 6750 XT, which increase temperatures and noise without meaningful performance gains. He shares personal testing results, community observations, and expectations for future driver improvements.

Takeaways

• 🖥️ The video is a review of AMD's Adrenaline drivers version 26.5.2, following 26.5.1 and 26.3.1.
• ⏱️ AMD released two driver updates within two weeks after a long wait of over a month and a half.
• 🔢 The driver naming convention is explained: 26 = year 2026, 5 = May, 2 = revision number in the month.
• ⚡ RX 6750 XT received unusual clock changes: higher core clocks but lower VRAM frequency, increasing power draw significantly.
• 🎮 New game support includes unreleased titles like Fors Horizon 6 and 007 First Light.
• 🖼️ AMD FSR4 will be available on older GPUs next year using INT8, while RX 7000 series GPUs can leverage FP8 and advanced instructions for better performance.
• ✅ Fixed issues include Roadcraft crashing on RX 9000 series and corruption in Satisfactory, improving stability for affected games.
• ⚠️ Known issues remain for games like Battlefield 6, Blender, Subnautica, and Marvel Rivals, with some users recommended to revert to 26.3.1 for stability.
• 📈 Minor performance improvements were observed in games like Pragmata and Crimson Desert, but increased power draw and heat could affect lower-end cooling systems.
• 💬 Viewers are encouraged to comment about their experiences with RX 6000 series clocks and driver performance to help the community track changes.
• 🤧 The reviewer mentions being sick during recording but continues to provide detailed testing results and insights.
• 💡 Additional videos and content are coming, with promises of exciting updates for the channel.

Q & A

Who is the host of the video and what channel is it on?

The host is Fabio Piscoco, and the video is on the Ancient Gameplays channel.

What is the main topic of the video?

The video is a review of the AMD Adrenaline 26.5.2 graphics drivers.

What does the driver version 26.5.2 signify?

26 refers to the year 2026, 5 represents the month of May, and 2 indicates it is the second revision in that month.

What are the notable changes under the hood in the 26.5.2 drivers?

The drivers include clock changes for RX 6750 XT, with core clocks increased and VRAM clocks decreased, leading to a significant rise in power draw. Minor performance improvements were also observed in some games.

Which upcoming games are supported by the new drivers?

The new drivers provide support for Fors Horizon 6 and 007 First Light, even though these games have not yet been released.

What is AMD FSR4 and how is it affected by these drivers?

AMD FSR4 is a frame scaling technology. The drivers confirm FSR4 support for older GPUs, but RX 6000 series cards will officially get FSR4 INT8 next year due to hardware limitations compared to RX 7000 series.

What are some of the fixed issues in this driver version?

Fixed issues include intermittent crashes in Roadcraft on RX 9000 series GPUs and corruption while playing Satisfactory on RX 9000 series GPUs.

What known issues still exist with these drivers?

Known issues include intermittent crashes in Battlefield 6 on Ryzen AI Ajax 370, Blender crashes on RX 7000 series, and crashes in Subnautica and Marvel Rivals on RX 9000 series GPUs. FSR and frame generation may also appear inactive in some cases.

What is the impact of the clock changes on RX 6750 XT cards?

Core clocks increased to 2700 MHz while VRAM frequency dropped, causing power draw to exceed 200 W. Performance increased slightly, but temperatures and noise may rise, especially on lower-end cooling setups.

What advice does the host give to users experiencing issues with certain games?

The host recommends reverting to AMD Adrenaline 26.3.1 drivers for games like Blender, Subnautica, and Marvel Rivals if users experience crashes or instability.

What did the host notice about performance in tested games?

The host observed a slight FPS increase in games like Pragmata and Crimson Desert, though the improvements were minor.

What sponsorship is mentioned in the video?

The video is sponsored by GVG Mall, offering software deals like Windows 10/11 and Office 2021, with a 30% discount using the host's code.

What unusual observation did the host make about the drivers?

The host noted that AMD changed clocks in the RX 6750 XT drivers without significant performance gains, which is unusual and could impact power draw, temperatures, and noise.